Good fun was had on Twitter this evening. @flyyoufools (author of the popular webcomic FlyYouFools) was pulling @chetan_bhagat’s (author of books like Five Point Someone, One Night at a Call Centre, and most recently, Two States) accomplished leg and allegedly went too far. The book writer warned the comic writer against making “smart ones” and then promptly blocked him (full series of tweets here). I think it started with piracy and ended with royalty cheques.
Someone found the episode amusing and created the hashtag #chetanblocks which was soon swarming with all manner of online creatures and their opinions on the right and wrong of it. Then people started cracking jokes (and a good many excellent ones were cracked too). Then people began feeling the pain of the seemingly wronged book writer. Now, a few hours after the whole ruckus, all is silent in Twitterland.
Here is what I think of it. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with blocking someone on Twitter. It’s a feature, and it can be used by anyone against anyone they think deserves it. I am not going to debate the ethics of it – there are none.
Instead, I want to rant about a tendency I have noticed on the social web. On Twitter, more than anywhere else, the talk is very commonplace. The sort one would expect at a very large and noisy gathering. People share inanities, call each other names, laugh at utterly stupid things, carry out coffee table debates… you get the idea. This is a big reason behind Twitter’s charm, and this is what makes it such a powerful marketing platform.
And then one day, a celeb-type, perhaps prompted by all the hype about it in the mainstream media, trots in and is shocked at the plainspeak. I have seen this happening more than once. Perhaps they expect to be treated the way they are treated on their TV channels, their newspapers, their book signings etc? I don’t know.
One thing I have learnt about Twitter is that it is not the place for people who take themselves too seriously. If you are joining a social network, keep the social in mind. If you want to be in the midst of people, act like people. Don’t expect celebrity high-speak to work. Idhar sab log waise bhi celebrity hai — every single one of them. I am not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing, just that that’s the way things are on Twitter – that is how things work here.
While the block button is always there, clicking it at every disagreement isn’t good policy if your fundamental reason for being on Twitter is to socialise with your readership, and as a result, sell books.
For the record, I am a big fan of Chetan Bhagat’s work. I think he can be called an ambassador for popular Indian writing (as opposed to the high-brow shit many others insist on limiting the definition of literature to). I also thinks he tells good stories.
Very well written. I can only say every system has pros n cons..
Keep writing.
Nice reading ur blog on todays interesting events. It was sort of fun wasnt itnot because it was at someones expense but coz so many witty tweets were flying around.
well said
Well written and justified post!!!
Agree with you like completely.. Very well written.
It certainly brought out some superb witticisms and that was great about it. It really was amazing to see the mob behaviour online as someone pointed out!
I hope Chetan Bhagat reads your post.
Well written….
Except for the last line…The chicklit writer is already marketing his ‘goods’ well mainly bcos of the IIM IIT tag….calling him ambassador was avoidable
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Well written. Chetan bhagat needs to understand that he is not such a big celebrity to throw weight around esp in social media platforms like twitter etc.
One observation to be shared here [if u have visited his blog u too may have noticed it] More than half of the comments on his blogs are fake. Trust me, there r users almost 90% who doesnot have a proper URL, most comments r posted within few min difference, language is so common.
I tried doing one…He removed my comment. I am n ot irated by the fact but what hurt me more that the author i liked n supported is soooo bloddy shallow!
God Bless shaad Ali n gang!
Happens sometimes. Chill. I haven’t visited his blog but I seem to remember him tweeting that some people are being paid to post negative comments on his blog. He said he knew because the IP address was the same. What I wondered was how he knew they were being PAID? And who will pay people to post negative comments? What’s the point?
http://www.vmohanty.com/2009/why-chetan-bhagat-blocks/ #chetanblocks
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post by @vimoh on yesterday’s blockade http://bit.ly/6kUTZW Liked. and the next item on reader was http://bit.ly/4ONLFb :O
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a sensible post by @vimoh on yesterday’s blockade http://bit.ly/6kUTZW via @manuscrypts
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True RT @nithinkd: a sensible post by @vimoh on yesterday’s blockade http://bit.ly/6kUTZW via @manuscrypts
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(+10) RT @softykid: RT @nithinkd: a sensible post by @vimoh on yesterday’s blockade http://bit.ly/6kUTZW via @manuscrypts
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Chetan Blocks How it started http://tinyurl.com/yb7cyp9 http://tinyurl.com/ydaynjv
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@jagadeesh_m yeah read this yday and forwared http://www.vmohanty.com/2009/why-chetan-bhagat-blocks/ to @evabhandari…real funny tweets..
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@finaznaha he blocked 4 minimal reason..so ppl started a hastag to make fun of it..happens..read dis blog http://twurl.nl/32cpzm
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@shamz911 is a lot of mumbo-jumbo..celebs shudnt expect special treatmnt on twitter..read dis blog..well said it is http://twurl.nl/em0bb7
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@drnavinb This is exactly what I’ve to say about #chetanblocks – http://bit.ly/6kUTZW Do read.
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